


Scarlet and Emerald

by itswheremydemonshide10



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Gryffindor Aaron, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Slytherin Robert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 18:26:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13172676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itswheremydemonshide10/pseuds/itswheremydemonshide10
Summary: A Robron Hogwarts!AU written for the Robron Secret Santa.





	Scarlet and Emerald

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by, and gifted to, @nvrtickleadragon on tumblr. It has an accompanying moodboard on my blog (same username as here, under my fic tag).

Aaron wriggles his feet, trying to get some feeling back into his cold toes. His breath is rising in soft clouds over the top of his thick red scarf as he huffs out little sighs. His position on the stone steps of the Astronomy tower gives him shelter from the swirling snowstorm outside, but the room does little to stop the icy wind whistling through, the air bitter against his exposed cheeks and fingers.

That’s not where Aaron’s mind is though, because he can still feel the flickers of irritation flaring inside. Ross bloody Barton had been shooting his mouth off over dinner in the Great Hall, rubbing salt into his and Adam’s wounds after the defeat the Slytherin quidditch team had inflicted on Gryffindor the previous weekend. Adam had been knocked out by a nasty bludger ten minutes into the game, leaving them reliant on their reserve seeker who couldn’t even catch a cold. It didn’t matter how many goals Aaron and his fellow chasers scored, they had no chance of catching the elusive snitch.

Ross and the other Slytherins had started the moment Aaron, Adam, and the rest of the team had traipsed into the hall after a late running practice – freezing cold, wet, and starving hungry. Ross had thrown himself off the bench in a poor imitation of Adam falling from his broom, amid howls of laughter from his housemates, causing Aaron to have to drag his best mate away toward their table to avoid a fight.

“Leave it! They int worth it.” Aaron had told Adam, pushing him down onto the bench and shoving a goblet of pumpkin juice into his hand.

Aaron had hoped that would be the end of it when the Slytherins left the hall, but no such luck. As Aaron and Adam tried to head back to the dormitory, they found their rivals gathered on the main staircase.

“Oi Dingle! You want a hand carrying your buddy up to the hospital wing? He looks a bit peaky.” Ross yelled as soon as he saw them approaching.

“I’d retire him for the whole season. He obviously doesn’t have the stomach for it.” Chrissie White said snidely from behind Ross, flicking her glossy dark hair back as she laughed with her sister.

“Move.” Aaron said to the group blocking their path.

“Or what?” Ross goaded, standing right in front of Aaron, chest puffed out aggressively.

“McGonagall.” Said a voice from the back of the Slytherin pack that hadn’t spoken until then, quiet and even, almost bored sounding. Aaron would know that voice anywhere – Robert Sugden. Up until he’d spoke he’d been perched on the step behind his friends, his face impassive and apparently unconcerned about the confrontation.

As Aaron turned to look over his shoulder, he spotted Professor McGonagall exiting the Great Hall with Professor Sprout, which was the Slytherin’s cue to disperse away towards the dungeons, not stupid enough to pick a fight in front of the two teachers.

“C’mon” Adam muttered, his face red and angry.

But Aaron couldn’t help watching the Slytherins’ retreat, his eyes following a head of carefully styled blond hair. Just for a second, Robert’s head seemed to twitch back in their direction, but then he turned a corner and disappeared.

“Aaron, get a move on!” Adam huffed from half-way up the stairs, and Aaron was forced to jog to catch him up.

–

Adam had gone straight up to the boys’ dormitory in a foul mood, and Aaron knew it was best to let him sleep off his annoyance. But with nothing to do except Potions homework, Aaron decided instead to throw on his cloak and head up to the Astronomy tower.

It was somewhere that Aaron had discovered in First Year was a great place to relax and think. It might be freezing cold, but at least it was quiet. This time though, he couldn’t stop his thoughts straying to a certain blond Slytherin.

Everyone knew the name Robert Sugden. He came from a long line of respected Aurors, all of whom had a reputation for being outspoken against the Dark Arts, strong and brave and passionate – Gryffindors to their core – all except for Robert.

Aaron still remembers the day their year was sorted under the sky of floating candles, he can recall the rest of the raucous Dingles hammering on the Gryffindor table as they welcomed him in with them. But he also remembers the ripples of shock and gossip that had erupted when the Sorting Hat declared a member of the famous Sugden family  _a Slytherin._

Aaron is so lost in the memory and the howl of the wind, that he doesn’t hear the footsteps behind him, so he jumps a mile when he feels two arms snake around his neck.

“Shit! You idiot, you scared the hell out of me.” Aaron yells, his heart-rate still thundering at the shock.

“Sorry. Couldn’t resist.” Comes the amused drawl from behind him, a warm breath behind his ear sending tingles down his back. “I hoped you’d be here.”

That voice is no longer cold and dismissive, but warm and full of humour and affection, and Aaron can’t resist turning in his spot on the step to pull Robert in to sit next to him, tugging on his boyfriend’s scarf as his cold, chapped lips search for a kiss.

Robert’s hand snakes up to cup Aaron’s red raw cheek as they kiss, and lets it linger there when he pulls back, their misty breaths mingling.

“Sorry about earlier.” Robert mutters eventually. “I told Ross he was being a prat, but you know…”

“Mhmm.” Aaron hums, pecking Robert on the lips again to show that he understands, because he does.  Aaron knows that Robert can’t be too openly sympathetic to Aaron, because of their houses, their status, and the secrecy with which their relationship is shrouded. The supposedly straight pureblood Slytherin and the out, mixed-blood Gryffindor. They both knew they made an odd couple.

“I wish you didn’t have to go home for Christmas.” Robert says quietly, resting his head on Aaron’s shoulder.

“So do I. But you know what my lot are like… they’d want to know why.” Aaron repeats back automatically. It’s not the first time they’ve had this conversation, but he still feels a pang of guilt every time. Robert, unlike Aaron, is staying at Hogwarts while most of the other students are reunited with their families.

Aaron knows that it’s a sore point for Robert, that he doesn’t feel comfortable going home to his family. He knows about his grief over the loss of his mother, and the animosity with his brother – Gryffindor’s popular head-boy Andy. The truth of what Jack Sugden did to his son when he caught him kissing the young muggle-born lad next door was a secret that Aaron guarded as vociferously as Robert did. Their long hours spent cuddled away in small corners of the castle and its grounds meant that Aaron knew Robert better than anyone – maybe even Robert himself.

“I’ll try and get back a few days early.” Aaron says, determined to try and lift Robert’s mood. “I’ll tell my family that we’ve got extra Quidditch practice or summat.”

The soft affection in Robert’s eyes, as he lifts his head and reaches for Aaron’s hand more than makes up for any missed family time.

“I’d love that.” Robert says, before grimacing. “Your hands are like ice!”

Robert reaches into his cloak pocket, pulling out a pair of thick, green and silver knitted gloves. He slides them carefully onto Aaron’s almost-blue fingers, his own warmer digits brushing gently over the delicate, scarred skin of Aaron’s wrist as he tucks them under his sleeve, kind and reverent.

“Thanks.” Aaron says.

“I can’t stay much longer, I promised Vic I’d meet her in the library to give her a hand with her Charms essay.” Robert says apologetically, but Aaron just waves the comment off.

Most people would never know it, but Aaron knew that Robert was incredibly loving and protective with his little sister, the little second year Gryffindor with a sweet disposition. Vic also happened to be the only person who knew about his and Robert’s relationship, after she arrived early for one of their study sessions and caught them snogging in the Restricted Section. Unlike the rest of her family, she was always supportive of Robert and would regularly carry messages from Robert to Aaron in the Gryffindor Common Room when they were arranging to meet, so Aaron wouldn’t begrudge his boyfriend spending time with her before she returned home for Christmas without him.

“You’re gonna love the present I’ve got you though.” Robert teases, breaking through Aaron’s musings.

“Tell me!”

“Nope.” Robert grins, popping his P. “If you want to know, you’ll have to hurry back to me.”

“I don’t need any encouragement for that, believe me.” Aaron says, realising too late that his voice had missed the blasé tone he was going for, and had landed somewhere between sentimental and downright soppy.

The green of Robert’s scarf makes the flecks of colour in his eyes seem brighter as Aaron pulls him in for one last kiss.

It takes another five minutes before Robert is eventually able to tear himself away to head to the library, but not before calling back over his shoulder.

“Get back to the Common Room. Hypothermia isn’t a good look on you.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow before I leave.” Aaron tosses back, ignoring the jibe entirely.

“Merry Christmas Aaron. I love you.”

“You too.”

–

It’s only as Aaron approaches the portrait of the Fat Lady that he remembers he’s still wearing Robert’s green and silver gloves. He pulls them off, and shoves them deep into his cloak pockets so nobody can see them.

Aaron already knows that he has no intention of giving them back.


End file.
